


Bloodstained Feathers

by Kara_Eclipse



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-12 23:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13557753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kara_Eclipse/pseuds/Kara_Eclipse
Summary: It was a turning point, a place where sanity and insanity blurred. There heroes felt like monsters and monsters fell apart. Otherwise known as where everything went wrong and the SOLDIER Firsts have their wings manifest for the first time.





	1. Black Wings of a Fallen Angel - Genesis

Away, the word ran through his mind like a mantra. Every instinct he had demanded that he get away from everyone, his allies because he could be a danger to them and his enemies because they would be a danger to him. Stumbling through the dense jungle with his shoulder and back aching Genesis didn't really care where he was going as long as it was away from everyone. A tree root tripped him sending him to his hands and knees. The brief burn of scrapped skin brought him back to full awareness of his surroundings though the need to be away from everyone lingered. Pushing himself up so he was sitting on his knees he looked around to see if he was alone. Finding that he was Genesis got to his feet moving closer to the tree he'd tripped on. Leaning against the tree he closed his eyes relaxing, relieved that his abrupt departure had either not been noticed or that everyone who had seen it decided that he had a reason for it and should be left alone.

As though it had been waiting for him to relax the dull aching from his shoulder and back rose to a bright, burning haze of pain. A muffled cry left his lips as he lost his balance dropping forwards to his knees clutching his shoulder in agony. His fingers clawed at his shirt under his coat trying to find something to do that would ease the pain tearing through his shoulder and back. For a moment it seemed as though the pain was easing, and he took a deep breath only to let it out in a tortured scream the next moment as his back suddenly seemed to be tearing open. His vision darkened for several long minutes as Genesis struggled to keep from blacking out.

As his vision cleared, color returning, he saw blood. Bright red splattered around him coloring the green plants, and black feathers drifted slowly swirling around him and settling on the ground innocently. Wide-eyed Genesis looked around hoping to see what happened to cause the blood and feathers to appear only to see nothing… until out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a dark shape moving with him as he turned. Shaking slightly he reached his left hand backwards until it came into contact with something soft. Horror bubbled up his throat and he clutched briefly at the soft thing. A sharp surge of pain lanced through him from his shoulder causing him to let go and bringing to his attention that the pain and discomfort that he'd felt for weeks was gone.

Laughing in hysteria Genesis buried his face in his hands. He grew a wing… people, at least everyone he talked with, do not just grow wings. Shoulders shaking his laughter turned to sobbing. Could he even be called human anymore? No… no he couldn't if people don't grow wings and he had then he couldn't be human. Looking at the wing he idly hoped that it would be white, if it was then maybe he could be something better something good, only to see the same black feathers that littered the ground around him. Closing his eyes again he bowed to the inevitable, he was a monster. No wonder people were afraid of him even if they would listen as he talked. Everyone feared and hated monsters, and at last his body showed that they were right.

"I'm a monster… I have no dreams or honor…" Genesis murmured brokenly. Taking another deep breath he tried to focus on it disappearing. Slowly the wing retracted folding inwards and vanishing into his back again. For now he would continue to pretend to be human… maybe he could be of some use before they discovered just how much of a monster he was. Besides if he left now, like this it would hurt Sephiroth and Angeal. They were so, so very much better than he was so for their sakes he would pretend just a little while longer.


	2. White Wings of a Lost Angel - Angeal

Angeal had half expected it to happen, especially once he’d gotten the information of how his friend’s wing appeared out of Genesis. Yet somehow not even Genesis’ words of reassurance and comfort could have prepared him for the wing finally bursting free from his back. An abrupt halt of pain that he’d been experiencing for days now was little comfort even now that he had even more, and this time completely irrefutable proof of Genesis’ words being true. The white feathers that glided and floated through the air before settling on the ground were so different from Genesis’ black feathers and something in the back of his mind wondered why that was.

Angeal’s view of the feathers was suddenly blocked, replaced with a red leather coat and he felt arms wrap around him, grounding him. Slowly he became aware of Genesis’ smooth voice murmuring reassurances and the man’s hand carefully gliding over his wing gently dislodging the feathers that had loosened from it upon its emergence.  Angeal wrapped his arms tightly around Genesis pressing his face against his friend’s neck.

“You were right… we _are_ monsters.” His voice nearly broke as he said that.

Genesis stilled for a moment but then he continued with his work straightening the feathers on Angeal’s wing. Angeal smiled bitterly. It seemed that this had left even Genesis at a loss for words, and yet having his oldest and dearest friend present helped him. It calmed his mind to know that the other was there, and while he wished beyond anything that Sephiroth was there to help them too he was also glad to know that their other friend was safe and sound back in Shin-Ra.

“We’ll figure this out Angeal.” Genesis stated plainly, not hiding his words behind his favorite play. The words held the weight of a vow, and told him that his friend would do everything he could to make it happen. Perhaps it was odd but that more than anything else so far gave Angeal hope that the two of them would have a chance to get through this all alive and in one piece.

Silently he nodded but continued to cling to the smaller man like he was a lifeline, the only lifeline around. If they figured this out someone would have to explain everything to Sephiroth… he hoped it would be his job to do that. He missed him already, and they had barely begun working together on this. He also hoped that they hadn’t shattered the silver haired man’s trust in them with their actions here, Sephiroth was so much more fragile than Genesis and he himself were and that would be more of a tragedy than either of them dying because of running out of time.

“You should rest.” Genesis remarked helping him up off the ground. Angeal felt his friend help him move to the cot he’d set up to sleep on. As he sat exhaustion weighed down on him causing him to drift off towards sleep. “Hollander wants to run more tests later once he gets back.”


	3. Blackened Wings of a Broken Hero - Sephiroth

Sephiroth rubbed his shoulder absently. It ached, much as it had been aching for the last few days yet not even that throbbing pain could drag him away from the books that lie scattered around the room. The only thing he had done in acknowledgement of the ache was to take off his coat and rest it over the back of a chair.

If Angeal had been alive and there his friend would no doubt have taken the book from his hands and dragged him out of the basement to find out what was going on with him since Sephiroth was never injured. Yet Angeal was gone, months had passed since his comrade and friend had died and it had a lasting effect on Sephiroth himself in that now he refused to allow anyone to care for him or push himself into caring for himself.

Yet as the ache got steadily worse he set the book down and left the basement library thinking that perhaps the lack of exercise was what was getting to him. Rolling his shoulder he made his way up the winding path to the top floor and paused waiting for a moment to find out if Angeal’s puppy was there. Zack was so much like both of his lost friends that it hurt sometimes, and he was in no mood to deal with him now.

No one was present from what he could hear so he walked into the room and down the hall to the conservatory. The plants seemed like good company for the moment. They would not judge him like Zack seemed to, demand things of him like Genesis had, nor look at him worshipfully like the townspeople had. Sitting on the floor he stretched reaching out to touch his toes with his fingers  knowing from long experience that doing so helped relieve pressure from muscles being too tight.

It seemed to help for a moment; the pain eased and seemed to vanish completely. Then everything seemed to explode with agony. The pain seemed to radiate through his entire back and arm and his mouth fell open in a silent scream, the sensation for something tearing open his shoulder and back robbing him of his voice for several long minutes. At last he felt like he could breathe again and looked around.

The plants seemed to sparkle and appeared a brighter more vivid green, but plants away from Midgar always seemed to be that way to him. Yet it was the black feathers that were now among them and the small droplets of crimson on the pots that drew his eyes more than the green plants. The feathers seemed so familiar, probably because of Genesis and his wing, yet so different from any feathers he had seen before. Reaching out he picked one up and admired the way the light played off the inky black.

Was this only more proof of Genesis’ words? Was it just further evidence that he was like his friends and a monster? If so then the answers he sought did indeed lie down below in the basement, and since they were there then he would find them. With that determination Sephiroth stood and walked out of the room without looking back, not noticing the dying redhead who appeared and slipped through the window so he could carefully collect the feathers and blood that had been left behind hoping still that they might cure him. A false hope for both of them for Sephiroth found no true answers in that basement and Genesis found no cure from the blood and feathers Sephiroth left behind.


End file.
